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Gladiator
In almost every major city, and several minor ones, there exists a form of entertainment based on arena combat. These battles are fought by warriors trained, and often raised, for the fighting pit. Typically slaves, though some have earned their freedom, these warriors are called gladiators. The gladiator (or gladiatrix, if female) exists only to die gloriously in the arena for the entertainment of the mob. Few free men are gladiators. Those that are not slaves typically once were, or simply have very little else to live for. Most gladiators learn to love the attention fawned on them by those they entertain. In fact, few slaves enjoy a better lifestyle if they can deliver an impressive show. Well-known and popular gladiators are often pampered with fine foods, wine, women, and parties. They become showpieces for their masters, often serving as bodyguards in public. Adventures: Slave gladiators act by their master's whims. They might be sent out to pursue a specific task, though this is rare, and would usually be little more than a publicity stunt. More often a slave will escape and join an adventuring party for protection. Characteristics: Gladiators are both warriors and entertainers. Many of their abilities center around making a fight last and keeping it interesting. Gladiators can take an incredible amount of abuse. Strength is very important to them, as is Constitution. They must be able to take a beating as well as give one out. Alignment: Many gladiators are neutral. They often care nothing for good or evil, as these have little to no impact on the life of an entertainer. Religion: A few gladiators have religion, though many slave-owners discourage it. They do not wish their slaves to recognize a higher authority than themselves. Those gladiators that do worship a god often worships gods of war and strength; those gods that will help them in the arena. Background: Most gladiators are slaves or former slaves. They were trained to fight and to die. Very few gladiators raise very high in levelâ€¦and those that do dominate the arena. These higher-level gladiators often earn their freedom, but usually remain pit fighters, as it is all they know. They become champions, beloved by the people, until they retire or die in the pit. Races: Any race can become a gladiator, though slavers tend to favor larger, stronger races. Humans and half-orcs are the most common gladiator races. Dwarves are not entirely uncommon, either. Other Classes: Gladiators most commonly associate with those other classes that find themselves in the arena. This usually means fighters and barbarians, plus the occasional rogue. Prestige Class Level BAB Fort Ref Will Special 1 +1 +2 +0 +0 Versatility, Weapon Improvisation 2 +2 +3 +0 +0 Crowd’s Favor, Finish, Fame & Glory 3 +3 +3 +1 +1 Uncanny dodge, Ignore Pain 4 +4 +4 +1 +1 Skewer, 5 +5 +4 +1 +1 Reputation 6 +6 +5 +2 +2 True Grit 7 +7 +5 +2 +2 Spare 8 +8 +6 +2 +2 , improved uncanny dodge 9 +9 +6 +3 +3 steal the kill, 10 +10 +7 +3 +3 Will of the Crowd Hit Die: d10 Requirements: To qualify to become a Gladiator, a character must fulfil the following requirements. bBase Attack Bonus: +5 Feats: Endurance Special: Character must have survived at least five fights in the gladiatorial arena. Class Skills The Gladiators class skills are Bluff(Cha), Climb(Str), Craft(Int), Handle Animal(Cha), Intimidate(Cha), Jump(Str), Ride(Dex), Performance (Cha), and Tumble(Dex). Skill points at each level: 2+ Int modifier Class Features All of the following are class features of the Gladiator prestige class. Weapons and armour Proficiency: A Gladiator is proficient with all simple and martial weapons, light armour, medium armour, and shields. Note the armour check penalties for armour heavier than leather apply to the skills Balance, Climb, Escape artist, Hide, Hump, Move Silently, Pick Pocket, and Tumble. Also Swim checks suffer a -1 penalty for every 5 pounds of armour and equipment carried. *Versatility(Ex) Starting at 1st level the gladiator can inflict lethal or subdual damage with all weapons without penalty. Note that this ability lets her inflict lethal damage with a whip, even against thick skinned opponents. Weapon Improvisation: The gladiator, at 1st level, receives the Weapon Improvisation feat without cost. This feat allows the gladiator to be considered proficient in any object improvised as a weapon (e.g. chair, frying pan, rock, etc). This feat does not provide proficiency with actual weapons. *Crowd’s Favor: The Gladiator can make a check to influence the crowd during a match. This is similar to a Diplomacy check to influence an individual, however the Gladiator adds their class level, not their ranks in diplomacy, along with their Charisma modifier when making the check. A friendly crowd will call for the Gladiator to be spared if loosing, or will heap even greater glory on the Gladiator if triumphant. A hostile crowd will demand the Gladiators death regardless, indifferent and unfriendly will lie between. Crowds are normally unfriendly or hostile towards a Gladiator, but a combination of winning both matches and the crowds favor through time can improve their initial disposition. *Fame & Glory: Any time a gladiator wins a fight in front of an audience (at least one spectator who is not involved in the fight) his confidence and renown are bolstered. This provides him with a +1 circumstance bonus to all Charisma based checks. This bonus may never exceed +5. Conversely, however, if a gladiator ever loses a fight under these circumstances, he incurs a -1 circumstance penalty to all Charisma checks. This penalty may never be reduced to less than -5. *Finish: The coup de grace that finishes an opponent is an important part of the Gladiatorial spectacle. When the Gladiator performs a coup de grace they add their Gladiator level to the normal DC for the fortitude save to avoid being killed by the blow. Uncanny Dodge (Ex): Starting at 3rd level, a Gladiator can react to danger before her senses would normally allow her to do so. She retains her Dexterity bonus to AC (if any) even if she is caught flat-footed or struck by an invisible attacker. However, she still loses her Dexterity bonus to AC if immobilised. If a Gladiator already has uncanny dodge from a different class she automatically gains improved uncanny dodge (see below) instead. *Ignore Pain: At 3rd level, a gladiator gains an incredible resistance to pain. The gladiator will not lose consciousness from subdual damage until the subdual damage equal 1.5 x his current hit points. At 6th level, the gladiator will not lose consciousness from subdual damage until the subdual damage equal 2 x his current hit points. At 10th level, the gladiator becomes immune to subdual damage. *Skewer (Ex): At 4th level, the Gladiator learns to drive his blade deep into his opponent and keep it there until his opponent stops struggling. Any time the Gladiator damages a foe with a piercing weapon he may attempt to skewer as a free action. He and his opponent make an opposed Strength check. If the Gladiator is successful he has lodged his weapon inside his opponent’s body Every round thereafter the Gladiator may use a full round action to twist the weapon and press it deeper into his opponent, automatically delivering damage as if he had rolled a successful hit. An opponent caught in this manner may make an opposed strength check to pull the weapon from his body. The Gladiator receives a +2 bonus to this check due to his improved leverage. Either character can make an opposed strength check to move up to ¼ speed while the skewer is maintained. If successful, both creatures move the same distance. *Reputation (Ex): By 5th level the Gladiator has gained a fearsome reputation in the arena, and knows how to intimidate opponents. He may add his Gladiator level to the standard modifiers when making an Intimidate check to demoralize an opponent *True Grit at 6th level, Gladiator's learn to tough it out under fire and may add his constitution bonus to any Reflex or Will save he has to make. *Spare (Ex): Bringing an opponent close to death, but not killing them, is an important part of the gladiator’s craft. Starting at 7th level, once per day, on a successful “Gladiator level” check-d20+Gladiator level-vs DC 20, the Gladiator can turn a blow that would bring an opponent to less then 0 hit points to one that brings them to exactly 0 hit points. The Gladiator can make the check to spare an opponent as a free action immediately after dealing the otherwise mortal blow. *Improved Uncanny Dodge: A Gladiator of 8th level or higher can no longer be flanked. This defence denies another Gladiator the ability to sneak attack the character by flanking her, unless the attacker has at least four more Gladiator levels than the target does. If a character already has uncanny dodge from a second class, the character automatically gains improved uncanny dodge instead, and the levels from the classes that grant uncanny dodge stack to determine the minimum Gladiator level required to flank the character. *Steal the Kill(Ex): Beginning at 9th level, the Gladiator can make an attack of opportunity against an opponent who has just been struck for damage in melee by another character. This attack counts as one of the Gladiator's attacks of opportunity for that round. *Will of the Crowd (Ex): A 10th-level gladiator may finish a gladiatorial duel with a stunning, deadly blow under certain conditions. The following prerequisites must be met: The gladiator must be participating in a gladiatorial match (as per Complete Warrior rules). The crowd's attitude must be friendly or better towards the Thyatian gladiator, and unfriendly or worse towards his opponent. The opponent must have been reduced to at least half their max HP, and be knocked prone, pinned, or disarmed or had their weapon destroyed. The gladiator must take a move action to invoke the crowd's will, calling for the blood of the opponent. If the check fails, the crowd's attitude towards the gladiator worsens. If all these conditions are met, the gladiator may take a standard action to attack his opponent, and treats a hit as an immediate coup de grace attack. The attack is automatically a critical hit and imposes a Fortitude save to avoid death. These effects take hold even though the opponent isn't helpless. Using this ability doesn't provoke attacks of opportunity. Category:Prestige classes